Tuesday's forecast: Record heat, fire danger in Plains

May 6, 2014
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Find out the weather where you are and get a few tidbits of weather history. / WUSA

by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

by Doyle Rice, USA TODAY

Summerlike heat will continue to bake the Plains, while scattered rain and thunderstorms will lead to a soggy Tuesday across a wide swath of the north-central states.

Plains, Southeast: Blistering heat into the 90s and low 100s will likely shatter records in the central and southern Plains. Bone-dry winds will add to the misery and increase the fire danger. The Southeast will also be warm and dry but not as hot as the Plains.

Northern tier: Scattered showers and storms will dampen the Great Basin, northern Plains, Upper Midwest and Ohio Valley. None of the thunderstorms are forecast to reach severe levels. Temperatures will be much cooler in the northern tier.

Some light snow is possible in the high mountains of the Sierra and Tetons. Light showers are also possible along the Northwest coast and northern New England.

Weather history for May 6: In 1989, the coldest Kentucky Derby on record was run, as temperatures were in the mid-40s in Louisville, with snow flurries reported in the area.

In 1992, while the temperature dropped to a record low of 18 degrees in Marquette, Mich., a record high of 93 degrees was measured in Walla Walla, Wash. In 2007, the town of Greensburg, Kan., was 95% destroyed by a tornado. 11 people were killed.